Bulletproofing Your References in the Hunt for a New Job

An employer recently requested a recommendation from Andy Levine about one of his former staffers at Development Counsellors International in New York.

The problem? "We fired him after three months" because he missed more than five major deadlines, says Mr. Levine, president of the economic marketing-development firm. He merely confirmed the man had worked there. Since that October call, the dismissed employee repeatedly has offered Mr. Levine as a reference -- without his permission. And the exasperated...